Russian President Vladimir Putin invited his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky today to visit the Russian capital Moscow if he is ready to hold a meeting.

Putin said at a press conference following his visit to China: “I said – yes, this is possible (to hold a meeting with Zelensky). Ultimately, if Zelensky is ready, let him come to Moscow,” according to the news site Russia Today.

Previously, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow currently does not plan to hold a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, confirming Putin’s readiness to meet when preparations are made.

Lavrov explained that the American proposals rejected by Zelensky were considered by the US administration as a basis for resolving the crisis, noting that Russia agreed to show flexibility on a number of issues raised by Trump.

The China Daily newspaper reported that for Zelensky to hold a fruitful meeting with Putin, he must first make efforts to reach compromises on key aspects of the Ukrainian conflict.

In an editorial dedicated to the prospects of peaceful dialogue on Ukraine, it added: “Zelensky should be reminded that it is unlikely that any meeting with Putin will achieve the desired result before Moscow and Kyiv reach an agreement on the main issues that caused the conflict to erupt.”

The newspaper pointed out that Zelensky, “who does not dare to criticize the United States or European countries,” tries to accuse Moscow of “doing everything” to prevent his meeting with Putin.